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Lily’s front yard, the clothesline set back in the corner.
Mrs. Maller’s house, the clothesline hanging across her fence line.
Alice Grennan’s home, the clothesline covered in sheets left abandoned, blowing on a breeze.
In front of her stood Sheriff Malis and Elaine’s home. Right next to a well-maintained garden were four poles driven into the ground. The metal quick links clanked loudly against the bare poles where clothesline rope was once pulled taught.
That sharp, rotting smell shoved itself up her nose viciously, coating its way down her throat.
“It’s—” It was the only word she got out before the world disappeared.
Chapter 36
Vera
“Sam!” Vera ran across the empty town square, passing the wood structure and across the barren road after her. “Sam, wait!” Hurtling herself into the small space between the home and the building, she turned the corner and halted.
The thin teen was on the ground, braids splayed wildly. “Sam?” Lying on her side, her knees were bent like she fell mid-step. Kneeling over her, Vera peered down at her face. Eyes closed, mouth hanging agape, she didn’t respond. Shaking her shoulder and gaining no response, she scanned the area. She was only seconds behind her, close enough for Sam to have heard her.
“I wouldn’t do that.” Turning quickly, she found Deputy Butler a few feet away. His pistol was drawn, finger resting on the trigger.
The young deputy’s skin was pale, even in the low light of the storm she could see a sheen of sweat dotting his brow. His weapon shook, its barrel pointed at the ground between them.
“Did you do this?” She asked, drawing her hands back slowly. Her firearm lay heavy at her waist. He would get a shot off before she could grab it. He was less than six feet away. “Isaac, what happened?”
Out of his uniform, she could see how lean he was. The tendons in his hands flexed around the pistol grip. He looked down at Sam, his eyes wide with something akin to regret.
The attack on her and Teddi proved there was more than one killer. She looked to the house behind him. There was no one there, no one she could see.
His lips tightly twisted as he continued to stare at Sam.
“Isaac, listen to me. Whatever happened, we can fix it, alright? We can—”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” his voice was hollow. Vera lowered her hands. “I thought you could help… I thought bringing you here would make it all stop. When I wrote that note I truly thought Dan was doing all of this. I hadn't been able to piece it together on my own. I risked everything to change things but they risked more.” Vera tensed as he came to stand over.
“What happened Isaac? You can tell me, you can talk to me,” her voice was soft and coaxing.
“I didn’t understand then.”
Vera’s mind whirled. None of it made sense. Not Isaac hurting Sam, not his ramblings. There were too many gaps as he leaned down and picked Sam up with a gentleness she didn't expect. Vera stood as well, just two feet from him now. Her hand slowly inched towards her firearm, his now tucked beneath Sam’s knees.
She didn’t want him to touch her, to hold her against his chest and stare down at her as if resigned to whatever twisted role he played in it all.
“Talk to me, please. Tell me what’s going on.”
His eyes raised to the spot over her shoulder. “They’re just taking what’s owed to them.”
Chapter 37
Vera
“If you pull, it’ll only hurt worse,” Isaac almost sounded as if he cared as he synched the ropes tight around her wrists. She gave up trying to regain some sense of control through box-breathing minutes ago.
As if he knew where every branch, leaf, and trickle of water lay, Isaac led them through the forest with ease. It wasn’t until he stopped at the edge of a familiar plot of land that she felt the weight of her situation double down.
Surrounding the killing rock was a wide ring of billowing torches at least six feet tall providing crackling light through the heart of the dark glade. It was what, or who stood within the circle that sent a chill down Vera’s spine. There were seven figures in long white dresses. Their backs were to them as they entered.
As if a gust of wind touched them all at once, the flames grew, whipping higher and brighter than should’ve been possible. She shielded her eyes as the heat threatened to melt her skin.
